Sacramento Digs Gardening: Dig In: Garden checklist for week of April 12

Are your tomatoes growing impatient to get into the ground? Even though our nights are still chilly, the next week will be lovely during the day. You can try putting in a few now and see how they do. (Photo: Kathy Morrison)

Warm weather brings urge to plant veggies

Get ready for spring fever! And this case has nothing to do with coronavirus; it's about planting tomatoes and other favorites.

According to the National Weather Service, we're in for terrific gardening weather. High temperatures will remain above normal, maybe even nudging into the 80s on Easter Sunday.

Although nights will still feel chilly, the next seven days should see afternoons in the 70s.

Is it still too early for tomatoes? Transplant a few now and see what happens.

Our main tomato planting date is still two weeks away, so these early-bird Early Girls may not do much at first. But if this warm weather pattern holds, you may have fresh tomatoes by Memorial Day.

Elsewhere in the garden:
* April is the last chance to plant citrus trees such as dwarf orange, lemon and kumquat. These trees also look good in landscaping and provide fresh fruit in winter.
* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.
* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.
* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, radishes and squash.
* Plant onion sets.
* Transplant leaf lettuce seedlings.
* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias.
* Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer favorites.
* Plant perennials, dahlia tubers and summer bulbs.

CHECKLIST FOR THE WEEK

Your weekly checklist of activities in the garden.

Keywords:

seeds tomatoes Sacramento onions garden chores spring planting citrus trees gardening April mulch checklist perennials flowers transplants

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Garden Checklist for week of May 5

Survey your garden after the May 4 rainstorm. Heavy rain and gusty winds can break the neck of large flowers such as roses. Also:

* Keep an eye on new transplants or seedlings; they could take a pounding from the rain.

* Watch out for powdery mildew. Warmth following moist conditions can cause this fungal disease to “bloom,” too. If you see a leaf that looks like it’s dusted with powdered sugar, snip it off.

* After the storm, start setting out tomato transplants, but wait on the peppers and eggplants (they want warmer nights). Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.

* Trim dead flowers but not leaves from spring-flowering bulbs such as daffodils and tulips. Those leaves gather energy to create next year's flowers. Also, give the bulbs a fertilizer boost after bloom.

* Pinch chrysanthemums back to 12 inches for fall flowers. Cut old stems to the ground.

* Mulch around plants to conserve moisture and control weeds.

* From seed, plant beans, beets, cantaloupes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, radishes and squash.

* Plant onion sets.

* In the flower garden, plant seeds for asters, cosmos, celosia, marigolds, salvia, sunflowers and zinnias. Transplant petunias, zinnias, geraniums and other summer bloomers.

* Plant perennials and dahlia tubers for summer bloom.

* Don’t wait; plant summer bulbs, such as gladiolus and tuberous begonias.

* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.

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